Improved process for parting gold, silver, and copper



G. A.:SG-HERPF. PROCESS OF PARTING GOLD, SILVER, AND COPPER. No. 52,825.

Patented Jan. 30, 1866.

000 o o o 000 OD DOD w m z e w w mw I Wi'tnesses.

UN TED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

"GEORGE A. SGHERPIQOF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

- IM'PROIVEDQPROCESS FOR PARTING corn, SILVER, AND COPPER.

Specification forniin g part of Letters Patent No. 52,325, dated January 30, 1866.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEO. A. SOHERPF, of Hoboken, State. of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Process of Parting Alloys of Gold, Silver, and Copper; and that the following is an exactdescriptiou thereof.

, In the process of refining or parting the above-named metals by sulphuric acid, a part of the acid has to part with one atom of oxygen to the silver and copper, and is trans formed into sulphurous gas. Another part of it also escapes from the dissolving-vessels as sulphuric acid vapor. Both these gases are com monly lost and carried into the atmosphere,- whcre they are cooled and condensed, and descend into the lower strata of air, to the great annoyance of persons, and the detriment of the vegetation in the vicinity.

sisting means and filled with a suitable material, ofierin g enough passage-Way to the gases, as f *6, broken pieces of crockery, earthen pots, coke, lumps of pumice-stone, perforated plates of slate, or small earthen tubes, or any material resisting the acids or a tower or high and narrow cask, commonly called a shrubber, similarly filled or full of perforated plates between which the gases can circulate downward.

Such a box or tower is overlaid, under its cover, with a perforated lead plate, upon which a pump of sufficient force throws a constant stream of water, drawn from the bottom of the box or tower, or from a separate reservoir communicating' with the box, which runs in all directions through the filling in its descent to the bottom. The gases are thereby brought into a greatly-multiplied contact with the water, which absorbs them, but retains only the I sulph uric-acid vapor, formin g, according to the time it is kept. in use, a more or less diluted sulphuric acid, which can be ,made use of for any purpose.

The sulphurous gas escapes again from this box or shrubber through a pipe connected with another apparatus of the following description. (See drawing annexed.) In an oblong box,proportionate in size to the quantity of gas produced, in the proportion of about twenty inches wide, three feet high, ten feet long, two wooden paddle-wheels revolve, each with four, five, or six paddles, either plain and full, or perforated, as pcr drawing annexed, A a, or made of two arms between which small seats are inserted in a slanting position or at right angles, A b. The revolving of these wheels or paddles bysteam or other power in the direction from the end where the gas enters to that where it would go out (if it was not absorbed) creates a current or draft which draws. the gas through the whole apparatus, (which is everywhere to be closed air-tight,) while the wheels also agitate the liquid contained in the lower half of the box, and are themselves con-' stantly covered with this liquid, and consequent-ly bring it in constant contact with the sulphurous gas, both forming a new compound.

I name here the liquids which are the most convenient and the compounds produced:

LIQUID USED. 1 1. Solution of caustic or carv honate of soda, or any other alkali.

rnonuc'r. 1 Sulphite of the alkali used, which can be used as such or converted into a. hyposulphite by a suhse ueut process. 2. Solution of sulphuret of soda, or any other alkali. phur as a rec1p1tate,0r, whens; solution 0 the same alkali, (not sulphuret,) had been added, a. larger amount of the same hyposulphite.

Hyposulghite of lime, from which can e made by decom o- 3. A solutiouof sulphuret of lime.

- sition with sulphates, any ot er Hyposulp its and free su1- hyposulphite. 4. WVater and slaked lime in Bisulphide of lime, apowerfulcertain proportions. bleaching liquid.

5. Simple water, in which case Sulphurons acid, for bleaching can also be used.

animal matter or used in refining sugar",

a box or shrubber like that described above (without paddles) Or, instead of all this, a chamber with many shelves can be made, between which the gas can, circulate over layers of caustic lime when the product will be monosulphite of lime, also very convenient for bleaching or other purposes.

This apparatus, box,'shrubber, or chamber is connected by a pipe for the gases, and an, other for the liquid, if such are used, with a a second one, exactly similar, on a higher level or position. In this any sulphurous gas not absorbed in-the first is absorbed, and when I do claim- The combination of this production of such a or any other compounds whereof sulphuricacid or sulphurous acid is one of the first bases, with the parting of the above-named metals by sulphuric acid, as described herein.

Hoboken, August 1, 1865. 1 I GEO. A. SCHERPF.

Witnesses:

MoRrrz MARCUS, GEORGE STRUSS. 

